CLAS 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Oenopion, Astarte, Aphrodite Pandemos
25 Jan 2018
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Lecture 5 (continued): athena, artemis, ares and aphrodite. Artemis is an old goddess; there is actually an archaic artemis that was not connected to the wilderness, hunt but more connected to fertility (earth goddess). Nature, hunt, forests and hills (nature untouched by humans): she is often depicted with bows and arrows along with a hunting dog. In iliad, she is called the mistress of animals. Sometimes accompanied by a deer rather than a hunting dog. She would be honored by offerings of parts of what had been captured to thank her for the good hunt. In hippolytus (play by euripides 428 bce), we witness a hunter bringing flowers as a gift for her. Like athena, she is one of the few goddesses not involved in romantic endeavors: she remains a virgin. Her virginity is a reflection of the virginity of nature, not untouched/affected/changed by men. Often portrayed as young and attractive especially in statues.
